Tuesday, March 4, 2008

SCHOOL LIBRARIAN OF THE YEAR & LINDA K. BARRETT SERVICE AWARD / BATTLE OF THE BOOKS / NOVELIST & NOVELIST K-8 CHANGES / INTERLIBRARY COOPERATION GRANTS DEADLINE APRIL 1 / KUDOS

SCHOOL LIBRARIAN OF THE YEAR AND LINDA K. BARRETT SERVICE AWARD

At the Alaska Library Association Annual Conference last weekend in Fairbanks, Bonnie Cavanaugh of Wasilla Middle School was announced as the 2008 School Librarian of the Year, and Barbara Bryson of Valdez City Schools was presented with AkASL’s Linda K. Barrett Service Award. The other nominees for this award were also recognized at the Awards Banquet on Saturday night.

Bonnie and Barb are the school librarians that inspire us all. Congratulations to them both for being recognized for all their hard work. Bonnie sponsors an annual reading motivation program for her middle schoolers called Shred Fest, in which students win the opportunity to see world-class snowboarders in action as a reward for reading. She has also served as chair of Authors to Alaska and arranged for the amazing Deborah Ellis, author of The Breadwinner, to appear at the conference.

Barbara has been the fearless leader of AkASL’s efforts to secure an annual school library collection grant in the Alaska State Legislature and is a former AkASL School Librarian of the Year herself.

The School Librarian of the Year Award is cosponsored by Follett Library Resources, who provide a $500 check for the honored librarian.

NOVELIST & NOVELIST K-8 INTERFACE CHANGES THIS SPRING

EBSCO, the vendor of NoveList and NoveList K-8 available on the Digital Pipeline on SLED (http://sled.alaska.edu ), makes this announcement about forthcoming changes this spring:

“As announced on 1/22/08, the NoveList and NoveList K-8 interfaces will include not just a brand new look, but several new features to make them even more valuable to you and your users. You will see the new release in just a few days, and may experience down-time for a very short period as we migrate to the new platform.

For details and screen shots of the upcoming interface redesigns, click here. <http://crm.ebscohost.com/app/crm/marketing/campaignlistener.nl?__lstr=__cl&__r=1886343&c=392875&__h=b627a369cc127274b5e0&

_od=aHR0cHM6Ly9mb3Jtcy5uZXRzdWl0ZS5jb20*&url=http://support.epnet.com/

support_news/detail.php?id=434&t=r&page=4&private=true> ”

BATTLE OF THE BOOKS REVISED TENATIVE LIST

Fresh from the statewide Battle of the Books competition and the AkLA Conference in Fairbanks, Shelly Logsdon makes this announcement:

Battle of the Books 2008-2009

It’s that time of year to think ahead. The 2008-2009 Tentative Battle list is posted on the Battle of the Books website… http://www.akla.org/akasl/bb/bbhome.html

If you were at the AKLA conference, there have been a few changes since conference so please download the newest revisions…

Thanks for all the input at conference! Welcome aboard to Erika Drain, from Mt. Edgecumbe, as she takes on the co-chair job of the state battles with Shelly…

Questions? Contact:

Shelly Logsdon

Library/Media Specialist

Wasilla High School 701 E Bogard Rd Wasilla, AK 99654

Phone: 907-352-8227 Fax: 907-352-8288

INTERLIBRARY COOPERATION GRANTS DEADLINE APRIL 1, 2008

Even though you may have to sneak in a spring break between now and the deadline of April 1 for these grants, you may want to take a look at the State Library’s website at: http://www.library.state.ak.us/pdf/anc/ILC2008.doc

These grants are meant for libraries to try something new, to work on a project with partner libraries, or to develop a project that will benefit libraries statewide. Proposed projects should fall within the guidelines outlined in the grant application. Generally it is good to include another library or libraries in the project. If you have an automation project in mind, you will want to have some sort of local funds to contribute to the project. If you have a training project, you will have to make sure that the training addresses the goals outlined in the guidelines. If you want to propose a marketing or promotion project, you will need to be sure that the proposal is not just to market your library alone, but to promote a specific project or activity of your library or several libraries that meets federal guidelines. The general range of the grants is from several hundred dollars to less than $50,000. We have and do fund projects at a higher level, but these are fewer.

Read the application packet carefully, and if you have any questions, contact Patience Frederiksen, the grants administrator or me, at 1-800-776-6566 outside of Anchorage or 269-6570 in Anchorage. We’d be glad to listen to your proposal to help you make it competitive. The awards are for the period from August, 2008 until June 30, 2009 in most cases.

KUDOS

Cheers to all the organizers of the 2008 AkLA Conference in Fairbanks. They did a great job of making everyone feel welcome and even arranged clear sunny days for our visit there. School librarians Marit Vick and Lynne Krizek served as local arrangements chairs extraordinaire. North Pole Middle School Librarian and new AkASL President Lyn Ballam handled registration and coordinated a large welcoming crew. Katie Sanders and Jimmy Hameister of the FNSB School District provided creative table décor and indefatigable technical support respectively. A whole team of Fairbanksans made the conference a wonderful experience for everyone.

I was very happy to see a large number of people from very small school and public libraries all over the state attend the conference. I hope that many of you will be able to attend the next AkLA Conference which will be held in Kodiak in mid-March, 2009.

Sue Sherif

Head of Library Development

Alaska State Library

344 West Third Avenue Suite 125

Anchorage, AK 99501

907-269-6569 Fax: 907-269-6580

800-776-6566 (Toll-free in Alaska)

sue.sherif@alaska.gov

BOOK BONANZA WINNERS – AT LAST 

In January, I finally announced the winners of the 2007 Book Bonanza.  They were: 

Klukwan Community -   First Prize

Trapper Creek School   Second Prize (Tie)

Kaleidoscope School of the Arts Library (Kenai) Second Prize (Tie)

 We had 17 entries all together, and this year’s competition was a cliff hanger in more ways than one.  We had three rounds of judging with honorable mention going to Willow Community Library and Delta Greely Middle and High School Libraries.  Shageluk and Pitka’s Point were also singled out as worthy.  AkASL, AkLA and local chapters of AkLA (Anchorage, Northern Chapter, and Juneau) were generous donors along with the Friends of the Ketchikan Public Library.  Ron and Lynn Dixon of the late Cook Inlet Book Company, who were founding sponsors of the Book Bonanza, made a contribution of books in the last days of their well-loved store.  Individual contributors were Roz Goodman, Joyce McCombs, and Sue Sherif.  Barnes and Noble made a valiant rescue of the 2007 Bonanza by making an unexpectedly large, last-minute donation of gift cards for the winners. 

The Book Bonanza 2008 guidelines and entry forms will be posted on the AkASL web page soon, and they will be available at the AkLA Conference February 28- March 2 in Fairbanks as well.  This year’s deadline will be April 30, 2008, and the winners will be announced after school starts in September, 2008. 

Thanks to the AkASL members who served as judges. 

GALE /LMC AWARDS – Deadline April 28 

Gale and Linworth Publishing are once again sponsoring an award for teachers and media specialists influencing student achievement, the TEAMS award.  The competition is open to all public and private schools in the US and Canada, and entries are due April 28, 2008.  The winners receive cold, hard cash, loot (subscriptions and Gale and Linworth products), and glory (recognition at the ALA Conference in June at (oh, yes!) Disneyland, Anaheim, California!   I know from the several presentations that some of you have made on collaboration and what I have seen when I have visited schools around the state that some of you could be winners.  Check the competition guidelines at:http://www.galeschools.com/pdf/TEAMS-form.pdf 

NEW ALASKANA TITLE  

Fans of Pam Flowers (ALONE ACROSS THE ARCTIC, BIG-ENOUGH ANNA) and Jon Van Zyle (oh, we all know his work) will be glad to know that they have collaborated to produce a new picturebook, DOUGGIE: THE PLAYFUL PUP WHO BECAME A SLED DO HERO.  The true story of another of Pam’s dog team members and lead dog on her 325-mile expedition to the magnetic North Pole, this picture book is a story of determination with a touch of high Arctic adventure.  Let’s just say that a polar bear is involved.  (Alaska Northwest, 2008 ISBN 978-0-88240-654-1 ) 

CERTIFICATION 

Kari Sagel, Erika Drain, and other school librarians who have been working diligently to clarify the situation involving certification of school librarians in Alaska have recently posted a letter from the Deputy Commissioner of the Education and Early Development on the Alaska Association of School Librarians web site.  Visit the site at: http://www.akla.org/akasl/ to read the letter of January 3 from Deputy Commissioner Spackman and to see all other activities led by the hardworking Alaska Association of School Librarians E-Board.  

SUMMER READING NEWS FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIANS 

The materials for the 2008 Statewide Summer Reading Program are now arriving in public and community libraries if you  submitted participation forms in October.  If your library doesn’t receive its CATCH THE READING BUG @ YOUR LIBRARY by March 1, please notify Priscilla McAdara at the Alaska State Library office (priscilla.mcadara@alaska.gov ) or call her at 1-800-776-6566 if you are outside of Anchorage.  The artwork for the teen program, METAMORPHOSIS @ YOUR LIBRARY is truly striking.   

We will be receiving PSA’s in several formats at the Anchorage office soon.  Please let us know if you would like to borrow a copy to promote your program. 

NEW JOB? If anyone has been contemplating a change of jobs for the next school year or re-entering the workforce if you retired a little too early, please think about applying for the School Library Coordinator position when it is open again on Workplace Alaska.  We are expecting to post it in the near future and will be leaving it open until the end of the school year.  It is NOT posted yet, because we are still trying to hire a temporary, part-time version of the job for now until the end of the school year.   Consider it if you have a masters degree and have experience in K-12 school libraries.  The job involves working in an office most of the time, also but traveling a good deal all over Alaska and sometimes Outside.  You must be willing to ride in small aircraft and invest in Arctic gear if you don’t already own it.  Willingness to put in long hours when you’re on site visits is a plus.  Getting to work with librarians all over the state is the frosting on the cake.  The position is in Anchorage, and the work is varied and challenging. The Library Development Team of the State Library is truly that, a team of cooperative and committed people.   When the job is posted and Workplace Alaska is ready to accept applications, the opening will be announced often and in a variety of places including the AkASL website, AkLA-L, and through this e-newsletter.  You have time to think about it now and will plenty of time to apply when it is posted again Hope to see many of you in Fairbanks week after next at the AkLA conference.  If you haven’t registered yet, you still can at: http://www.akla.org

EMERGING LEADER / AASL IN RENO / RENO ATTENDEES CLASS REGISTRATION / SNIPPETS FROM AASL / JUDY FREEMAN PUBLICATION / ASSESSMENT TITLES / VAMPIRE TOME TOPS THE TEEN LIST

ALASKA’S EMERGING LEADER

Huge congratulations to Barrow’s own Sara Jeffress, who has been named an Emerging Leader by the American Library Association. She will be attending the next two ALA national meetings and engaging in activities with other librarians recognized as library leaders of tomorrow. In Sara’s case, she is already taking an active role as a leader as she is not only the Youth Services Librarian at the Tuzzy Library, but is also on the SLED committee and chairs the Public Library Roundtable. Way to go, Sara!

AASL IN RENO AND BEYOND

The American Association of School Librarians in Reno week before last offered varied programs and endless exhibits by library vendors. This year, for the first time, Alaska had around 30 school library representatives at the event, which convenes every other year. (A few of our colleagues spent an extra day in Reno because of a flight cancellation, but considering the balmy weather in Reno when we arrived this could only have been a bonus–although I have not heard reports of whether they had to spend a night in the Reno airport?!?!?!?!)

For those of you who were not able to attend in person, here is an opportunity from AASL to capture some of the conference’s content:

“AASL has just launched its first ever Digital Institute.
Available as part of the AASL e-Academy online offerings,
the “Minding Your Students’ Future” institute offers a rich
continuing education experience through multiple media,
including podcasts, vodcasts, and video.

Focusing on the future of learning in school library media
programs, the institute pulls together a variety of digital
sessions captured during the AASL 13th National Conference
& Exhibition in Reno, Nevada, October 25-28. Highlights
include clips from the Opening General Session with Dan
Pink in a montage with the One Book, One Conference
discussion session of his best-selling book “A Whole New
Mind.” Another main attraction is a session on the
“Standards for the 21st-Century Learner,” presented by
Cassandra Barnett and Barbara Stripling. Other topics
explored in the digital sessions include teaching
information literacy, research, podcasting, book
challenges and more. A complete list of Digital Institute
offerings can be found at
http://www.ala.org/aasl/eAcademy

Read more at
http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2007/october2007/diginstitute07.htm “

RENO CLASS REGISTRATION REMINDER

For those of you who were lucky enough to attend the Reno conference in person, Ann Morgester of the Anchorage School District has this reminder for you:

“Don¹t forget to register with UAA if you are intending to take the RENO conference class.

The registration form can be found at:
http://libraries21stcentury.wikispaces.com/RENO+LS+590.701+Class

SNIPPETS FROM AASL

Also from the national association comes this piece of advocacy information:

National test scores prove need for School Librarians

The U.S. Department of Education’s recently released
national test scores further confirm the need for a
library in every school staffed by a state-certified school
library media specialist.

According to the results of the test - the National
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) - with only a few
exceptions, reading and math scores have remained flat for
the years under No Child Left Behind, 2002-2007.

“This news comes as no surprise to school librarians, who
know from both experience and from concrete data just how
vital school libraries and librarians are to academic
achievement,” said ALA President Loriene Roy. “More than 19
state studies show that school libraries that are
well-stocked and well-staffed can and do raise test scores,
especially reading test scores. That’s why the SKILLs Act
is so important.”

The SKILLs Act would require that each school have a school
library staffed by a state-certified school library media
specialist. Introduced in June, the bill is vital to the
future of today’s school libraries and, therefore, student
achievement.

Read the full news release at
http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2007/october2007/naep2007.htm

See the NAEP report at
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard

Get more information about the SKILLs Act at
http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslissues/SKILLS_Act.cfm

First online resource dedicated to 21st-Century skills
teaching and learning is launched

Washington, DC – Nov. 7, 2007 – To help education leaders
and policymakers implement 21st-Century teaching and
learning, the Partnership for 21st Century Skills launched
Route 21, an online, one-stop shop for 21st-Century
skills-related information, resources and tools.

Route 21 showcases how 21st century skills can be supported
through standards, assessments, professional development,
curriculum and instruction and learning environments. The
site represents the first comprehensive, go-to online
resource for high-quality content, best practices, relevant
reports, articles and research to assist practitioners in
implementing 21st century teaching practices and learning
outcomes.

Learn more at
http://www.21stcenturyskills.org

JUDY FREEMAN PUBLICATION

Some of the youth services librarians statewide and school librarians in the Mat Su were lucky enough to participate in a September workshops with storyteller and children’s book expert, Judy Freeman. Her latest book, ONCE UPON A TIME: USING STORYTELLING, CREATIVE DRAMA, AND READER’S THEATER WITH CHILDREN in GRADES PreK – 6 (Libraries Unlimited, 2007) ISBN 978-1-59158-663-0, is in the process of being added to the Anchorage collection of the State Library. If you are interested in borrowing it when it is available, please contact: Priscilla.McAdara@alaska.gov or call her at 1-800-776-6566 outside of Anchorage.

ASSESSMENT PUBLICATIONS

Also being added to the Anchorage State Library collection are two titles on assessing student learning in school libraries:

ASSESSING LEARNING: LIBRARIANS AND TEACHERS AS PARTNERS by Violet H. Harada and Joan M. Yoshina (Libraries Unlimited, 2005) ISBN 1-59158-200-8

ASSESSING STUDENT LEARNING IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER, edited by Anita Vance (American Association of School Librarians, 2007) ISBN 978-0-8389-8446-8.

To borrow either of these when they are available, contact Priscilla McAdara using the contact information above.

TOP TEN TEEN READS

The vote from Teen Read Week is in. The place to go to see what teens who voted online chose as their favorite title of 2006 is: http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/teenreading/teenstopten/teenstopten.cfm Hint: The top author’s initials are SM, and the topic is….what else? …. Vampires.

Happy Children’s Book Week next week! Sue

PS If you don’t have plans to celebrate Children’s Book Week November 12-17, just go ahead and cook up some good ideas because you’ll have a second chance this school year as the annual event makes a move to May (May 12-18, 2008). In future years it will be a May celebration instead of a November one, and will be a perfect time to advertise the statewide summer reading program!  See the Children’s Book Council Website for more details: http://www.cbcbooks.org/cbw/

This message was provided by Joyce McCombs of the Delta Community Library:

Acclaimed Delta Junction author and photographer, Cindy Lou Aillaud, has asked me to let you know that she is now retired from teaching and is ready to begin her long anticipated book tour - and of course she’s starting right here in Alaska!

You already know that “Recess at 20 Below” became a best seller as soon as it was published. “Recess” has sold out time and again and is currently in it’s 5th printing. If you have a signed first edition - you’re one of the lucky ones!

Cindy is starting her book tour in the Anchorage area in October and dates are filling up fast. She is glad she can finally say “Yes” to road trips during the school year and is eager to meet you.

To schedule an assembly or visit to your library anywhere in the state, and to learn more about her educational and fun filled presentation, check out the brand new “Recess” website:

http://www.recessat20below.com/

Winter is on it’s way and now the perfect time to plan a program that will encourage your students, families and patrons to do as Cindy does and…

“Bundle up and play outside!”

In a hurry?

Email Cindy now at: smiles99737@yahoo.com and she’ll get back to you asap.

ALASKA LIBRARY NETWORK NEWS 

Kerri Canepa asked me to post this to you all:   

The Alaska Library Network has a new web page! Check out http://alaskalibrarynetwork.org/  for loads of promotional materials for SLED and the Digital Pipeline all available for download and printing. You’ll find brochures, bookmarks, posters and other items. Just click on Products & Services in the lefthand column. Keep up with what’s happening with ALN by clicking on News and also Schedule & Events. As ALN grows, so will the web page so make sure to bookmark the site and visit regularly! SLED has a new toolbar that can be added to your browser! It’s customizable and will search SLED from anywhere on the Internet. Go to sled.alaska.edu and click on “Download the SLED toolbar!” text in the lefthand column. Please note, the toolbar does not work with Safari, so if you use Apple products, download the toolbar in Firefox. The Digital Pipeline now features a series of video tutorials! These are designed to provide step-by-step instruction for using the EBSCOhost interface. The tutorials build on each other by explaining the features of the interface and how to use it for searching for information. Each tutorial is approximately 2 1/2 to 3 minutes in length and can be viewed over and over again. Go to sled.alaska.edu/databases/ and click on the “Need Help?” box on the righthand side of the page to get to the list of tutorials. Please send any comments or suggestions about any of the web sites to: 

Kerri Canepa, Coordinator, Alaska Library Network                                                    Alaska State Library, 334 W. 3rd Avenue, Ste 125, Anchorage, AK
99501907-269-6567 kerri.canepa@alaska.gov 

LIVE HOMEWORK HELP PASSWORD (AGAIN!) 

Live Homework Help is a valuable afterschool service offered on SLED (http://sled.alaska.edu/) or on a number of public and school library websites each day from 1 to 9 PM for students who need help with their homework.  As I wrote last time, it now works with PCs AND Macs, but it requires a password.  Although we can not post or mail that password electronically, we can tell you that it is the password that one uses for the databases on the Digital Pipeline.  If you do not know the password, look at the Live Homework Help page for the toll-free number to obtain it.  Feel free to distribute it freely in paper format, but just DON’T post it on a website or send it to students, teachers, or parents via email.  Remember that students will need to know to use the password if they are asked for a library card number.  Library card numbers will NOT work despite what the screen asks. 

If you would like a couple of cute posters to advertise LIVE HOMEWORK HELP in your school, please contact Priscilla McAdara at priscilla.mcadara@alaska.gov  

SCHOOL LIBRARY COORDINATOR DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 10/1/2007 

Because there were insufficient applicants for my position, the search has been broadened and the deadline extended.  Take a look at the job description to learn how you can apply on Workplace
Alaska at: http://notes4.state.ak.us/wa/PostApps.nsf/0/5A5E395DFF0E09438925735300655EFC?OpenDocument

The position is listed under Librarian III and School Library Coordinator.  It’s one job listed two different ways.  

HOORAY! 

Cheers for all the energetic youth services librarians who gathered in
Anchorage September 11-12 for the first-ever Alaska Youth Services Workshop.  Priscilla McAdara of the State Library Anchorage office commented, “I don’t think I’ve ever been around so many people who had so much passion for their jobs.”   There were 32 librarians in attendance, but there was enough energy in the room to stoke a few small power plants.  

 You can post comments on the blog by clicking on the number next to the post title.

MADELEINE L’ENGLE 1918-2007 

Beloved author Madeleine L’Engle (A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet and at least 60 other titles) died on Thursday, September 6. To read more about this extraordinary woman and her career, go to her website at: http://www.madeleinelengle.com/ 

BANNED BOOKS WEEK September 29 – October 6 

If you will be celebrating or promoting Banned Books Week at your school this year and haven’t ordered materials, you’ll need to act quickly to get materials from the American Library Association at: http://www.alastore.ala.org/SiteSolution.tafsn=catalog&_pn=product_detail&_op=2374

One needn’t buy the posters and bookmarks to draw students’ attention to the importance of the freedom to read.  Your library probably contains books that have been targeting for banning.  Use the American Library Association Office of Intellectual Freedom website to learn more about Banned Books Week: http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bannedbooksweek.htm#wtb 

LIVE HOMEWORK HELP CHANGES - IMPORTANT 

With the start of the new school year, you may find yourself referring students in grades 4 through beginning college level to LIVE HOMEWORK HELP, available on SLED (http://sled.alaska.edu) or through your own library’s web page.  The service is available to people within the state of
Alaska from 1 – 9 PM every day. 

The GOOD NEWS is that the people who produce this service, Tutor.com, have finally listened and now offer a Mac compatible version!  The BAD NEWS is that students with very old browsers on either Mac or PC platform may not be able to access the live chat with a screened and trained tutor.  In addition, right now the service is asking people in some circumstances for a Library Card Number.  In Alaska the response should NOT be a library card number, but instead should be the password used for all our proprietary databases on the Digital Pipeline on SLED.  If you do not know this password already, you cannot receive or send it via email or on a website.  Instead, you can call the toll-free number at 1-800-440-2919 to get the password.  Remember you are welcome to share the password with clients of your library to use at the library or at home, but you CANNOT share the password with them via web or email.   (This is part of our licensing agreement.) 

NEW BOOK FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LIBRARIES

New at the Anchorage office of the Alaska State Library is THE SUPER3: INFORMATION SKILLS FOR YOUNG LEARNERS by Mike Eisenberg and Laura Eisenberg Robinson.  This 2007 Linworth publication provides a scaled-down version of the Big6 research method that they claim will work for Pre-K through second grade. The Pre-K claim may be a serious stretch since all the examples on the numerous worksheets involve writing, but the 3 skills (planning, doing, reviewing) are a good framework for younger students who are just embarking on research projects or beginning to identify story elements.  Contact Priscilla McAdara at 907-269-6580 or priscilla.mcadara@alaska.gov if you would like to borrow the book. 

AKLA CONFERENCE 2008 – PROPOSAL DEADLINE September 15 

The state library conference will be held in Fairbanks this year.  The dates are February 28   - March 2, 2008.  The Alaska Association of School Librarians will be offering travel grants again this year, and information about how school librarians who are members of AkASL may apply will be posted later in the fall.   In the meantime there are two things that you can do to get ready:  1. You can talk to your principal about the dates and the importance of participating in the type of professional development that the conference offers 2. If you have something to share with other librarians throughout the state, you can submit a program proposal online at:  http://www.akla.org/fairbanks2008/forms/more.php 

SCHOOL LIBRARY COORDINATOR POSITION

There are still a few days to apply for my position as School Library Coordinator.  The job is posted at: http://notes5.state.ak.us/wa/mainentry.nsf/WebData/1hp1HomePage/?OpenThe position is listed under Librarian III and School Library Coordinator.  It’s one job listed two different ways.The closing date is currently posted as September 12 (Wednesday).   

This is a great job, so I encourage anyone who has a solid background and an interest in serving libraries and librarians throughout the state to apply.   

My official duties as Head of Library Development begin September 17, but I will continue to keep you informed via SAYL Mail until a replacement has been chosen.  I’ve just had a wonderful almost two-week vacation with one of my sisters, so I feel energized to wear two hats for a little while, but hope that I won’t be straddling two positions for long! 

CORRECTION 

As reported in the last SAYL Mail, Helen Clark of Fairbanks is indeed leading the instructional technology program at the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, but her duties have expanded, so her official title is: Executive Director of Library Media and Instructional Technology.  Katie Sanders will be serving with Helen and have the title of Director of Library Media Services as indicated previously. 

You can post a comment to this blog by clicking on the grey number next to the title.

Sue Sherif

School Library/Youth Services Coordinator

Alaska State Library

Set in Fairbanks, this new tween novel, depicts young Deet, whose world changes when his father goes to jail.  This novel will be of interest to kids who may be in the same boat.  With the growing incarcerated population in the U.S. and Alaska, more and more students face this experience, a fact they may choose not make known at school.  Publication  Information:Margaret K. McElderry Publisher, January 2007 , ISBN-13: 978-1-4169-1400-6, Grades 4-9. 

Kirkpatrick Hill is the author of such  Alaskana modern classics as Toughboy and Sister and The Year of Miss Agnes.

Add your comments if you’ve read the book. Click on the grey number next to the post title above.  You can also read anyone else’s comments, if the number is greater than zero, by clicking on the number.  Try it!

August 23, 2007

WELCOME / NEW POSITIONS – JOB ANNOUNCEMENT / SCHOOL LIBRARY LEADERSHIP ACADEMY / BLOG 

WELCOME BACK

Greetings to all the Alaska school librarians and school library assistants.  I hope the start of your new school year is going well.

Congratulations to all the Youth Services librarians for completion of another successful summer reading program. If you work in a district library office or serve as district library media coordinator, please send me a list of your district’s new librarians and library aides so that I can update the SAYL Mail list and make contact with new personnel.  If you are not a district coordinator, but know of a new librarian or library aide in your part of the state, please send me a note with names and email addresses.  I appreciate your cooperation in keeping the State Library up-to-date on new librarians and other staff changes. 

NEW POSITIONS

The two largest school districts in the state have new people heading their school library media programs:

• Ann Morgester is the newly appointed Library Curriculum Coordinator for the Anchorage School District.  A long-time teacher librarian in the district, Ann is the first to hold this newly-created position in ASD. (Advocacy does work!)
• Katie Sanders, formerly Ladd Elementary School Librarian, was named as Fairbanks North Star Borough School District Library Media Services Director in June.  Her predecessor, Helen Clark, was appointed as head of instructional technology, for the FNSB School District.

Congratulations to all three outstanding school librarians!

I also will have a new position, beginning September 17.  I will then be the Head of Library Development, a position previously held by Nina Malyshev.  Below is a notice of my position that was just posted today on Workplace
Alaska:      http://notes4.state.ak.us/wa/mainentry.nsf/WebData/1hp1HomePage/?Open

Look under View Job Postings.  Search for School Library Coordinator or Librarian III.  The job is listed both ways, but is just one job.  The deadline is September 12, 2007 at 5:00 PM.  The site explains exactly how to apply for the job if you are interested. Below is the main position description.  Be sure to check the website above for complete details.

The position is part of the Library Development team of the Alaska State Library. The Alaska State Library is comprised of two special libraries (Information Services and Historical Collections) and Library Development. The three sections have a combined mission: to work together for the good of the libraries of the State of
Alaska.This position is the School Library Coordinator. The Library Development team provides support and consultation to libraries throughout
Alaska. This position works primarily with school and combined school/community libraries.The position offers consultation and plans training for school library personnel. The key responsibilities of this position include:

• Consultation services to school libraries, including providing general information about school library organization, materials acquisition, budget development, and automation issues as well as copyright, statistics, grant writing, media selection and reading program support;
• Communications and information dissemination, including providing an electronic newsletter for school librarians and writing a regular column for the Alaska Association of School Librarians newsletter, required internal reports, and training materials including revisions of the Handbook for Alaska K-12 School Libraries;
• Training and continuing education activities, including developing and delivering training at workshops and in-services for school librarians and school library para-educators, presenting programs at meetings of the Alaska Library Association, the Alaska Society for Technology in Education, and other related associations. Examples of training offered could be basic library operations, children’s and young adult literature, online electronic resources and other topics related to current library practices and issues; and
• Monitoring and promoting state and national standards for school library programs, survey current programs and assess overall trends and levels of service, advise individuals who wish to become professional librarians, assess potential online services and work to regularize and publicize state school librarian certification standards.

Minimum Qualifications:

Master’s degree from an accredited college in library or information science, media services, or a closely related field;
AND
Two years of advanced level professional librarian experience with independent responsibility for multiple functional areas of library work, such as classification and cataloging, reference services, circulation, collection acquisition, development and preservation, or library webpage services. This experience is met by service as a Librarian II with the State of
Alaska or the equivalent with another employer.

SCHOOL LIBRARIANS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY 2007 

Drs. Teri Lesesne and Joyce Valenza headlined the week-long face-to-face portion of this summer’s academy this month. 

Ann Morgester unveiled the mysteries of Photoshop Elements and the ALA Read posters software, and Suzanne Metcalfe and Robin Turk are still serving as discussion leaders with me for the 4-week online follow-up portion of the UAA class.  Twenty-four teacher librarians from all over the state are still discussing online some of the issues that were raised in the first week of the class, and all made working lunches go quickly as they shared a variety of titles with enthusiasm.  (I hope to make those lists available to everyone on the AkASL website or wiki after the class is over on September 30.)   It is a great bunch of students and colleagues.  

If you haven’t had the opportunity to attend, and you are a certified library media specialist or teacher librarian, consider attending the next one.  The new school library coordinator will keep you informed about future academies.

***

I am trying this blog again.  (I found an spam catching plug-in that claims to offer protection against an avalanche of nasty spam from Italy.) Let me know if you prefer the blog format, and I will pass your interest on to the person who replaces me.  Remember that you can comment by clicking on the grey number next to the title above.

Sue Sherif,  Alaska State Library

It’s a new school year, a new attempt at this blog, and a new job for me.  Beginning September 17, 2007, I will no longer be the School Library/Youth Services Coordinator for the Alaska State Library, but will start a new job as the Head of Library Development, the position formerly held by Nina Malyshev, who resigned in July.

Among my new responsibilities will be designing training for Alaskan librarians in all types of libraries.  Because that has been a big part of my current job, I will still be in touch with you, just in a slightly different capacity. 

We expect to have a new School Library Coordinator starting sometime in late September or early October.  In the meantime, I’ll be working with you all. 

The School Library Coordinator serves between 300 and 400 teacher librarians and library assistants.  Because of the large number of consultations that this position is expected to provide, the Youth Services aspect portion of the job, which consists largely of the statewide summer reading program and serving as the State Library liaison to statewide early literacy efforts, will be separated from my current position, and I will handle those duties as Head of Library Development.  The new School Library Coordinator will maintain the SAYL Mail and this blog, but that person and I will both communicate any information that might be relevant to children’s and teen services in public libraries.

 If you have any questions, you can leave questions here as a comment (just click on the greyed number next to title above, or contact me at the email address I acquired in June:  sue.sherif at alaska.gov (Replace the word at with the proper sign. No spaces.)

I am very excited about my new position because I see it as a way to find new challenges, but also to continue working with all of you to keep making Alaska school libraries better.  The really neat thing is that for the first time ever, the Alaska State Library will have four school librarians on staff:  Linda Thibodeau (Deputy Director), Valerie Oliver (E-Rate Coordinator), the new School Library Coordinator, and me.  I am sure your voices will be heard more than ever at ASL!

Sue Sherif